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RE- near miss <Zap!>




From: 	Robert Michaels[SMTP:robert.michaels-at-online.sme-dot-org]
Sent: 	Saturday, November 22, 1997 4:44 AM
To: 	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: 	RE- near miss <Zap!>

        So -- you are actually starting to learn:  Capacitors
        are like loaded guns -- they can discharge at any time,
        without taking your wishes into account.

        The best advice on this subject came from Dr. Tesla himself:

                =Always=  have one hand in your pocket  =before=
                touching any part of a high voltage circuit.

        In the modern day of concrete flooring, wearing insulated
        boots isn't a bad idea either.

                                - - - - - - -

        Most experimenters learned this very early in the history
        of electricity:

                Always short out any capacitor before handling
                it or the circuitry thereto attached.  If the
                capacitor has much energy stored, the discharge
                must be accomplished thru a suitable resistor
                to avoid damage (to the capacitor and possibly
                yourself).

                =Leave=  the short on the terminals of the
                capacitor until ready to intentionally energize
                it again.

                        Good capacitors can retain some charge
                        for a very long time (days/weeks!)

                        A freshly discharged capacitor can
                        =recover=  some of it's charge if left
                        open circuited.

                        Open circuited capacitors can sometimes
                        acquire a charge from atmospheric or
                        static electricity.  Hence, they should
                        be shipped and stored with a shorting
                        wire -- it's like handling a firearm only
                        with the action open:  It assures no un-
                        anticipated discharges.

                                 - - - - - - -

        Electrical shock is no joke!   Shocks which are far from
        being instantly lethal can cause electrochemical changes with
        far reaching and often delayed effects.

                                - - - - - - -

        For some it's like mule-training.  You may not want to follow
        the rules, but get kicked hard a few times and it will begin
        to sink in.

                                         Robert Michaels,

                                         Teslas coiled and mules
                                         trained (firearms instruction
                                         on the side) -- in Detroit,USA


TL>From:  Gary Lau  21-Nov-1997 1019[SMTP:lau-at-hdecad.ENET.dec-dot-com]
TL>Subject:  A near miss <Zap!>

TL>I had a near-miss about a month ago that upon further thought, might benefit
TL>others to share it.

 [ ... ]

TL>Upon picking up the loose wire from the cap, I received a startling shock.  
TL>don't recall whether I had one hand on the primary and the other on the tap
TL>wire, or one hand on the concrete floor, or none of the above, but I do
TL>realize
TL>that I was lucky and that it could have been MUCH more severe, if not fatal.

 [ ... ]